Nail



June 2, 1931. w. G. WOODRUFF NAIL Filed July 19, 1928 Patented June 2, 1931 UNETE Fierce WTLLFAM G. WOOTJRUFF, F WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 TREMONT NAIL COMPANY, OF WAREZ-1AM, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS NAIL Application filed July 19, 1928. SeriaI'No. 293,890.

' This invention relates to improvements .in nails.

One object of the invention is to provide a cut nail having its body or shank portion formed with one or a plurality of barbs or spurs adapted to bite into the wood or other material into which the nail is driven to anchor it against becoming loosened orpulling out.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cut nail having barbs or spurs projecting outwardly beyond the normal plane of its .sides.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cut nail having its body truncated or Wedge-shaped in cross-section with barbs or spurs formed in' two of its adjoining sides to project beyond the intermediate edge thereof. i Another object of the invention is to provide a cut nail which is more reliable and efficient in use than nails of the usual form, while being economical to produce in the process of manufacture.

Further objects of the improvement are set scribes several embodiments of the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a nail constructed according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view of the right side of the nail .35 shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the body of the nail taken on line H of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5 and6 are views of a modified form of the nail showing another application of the invention thereto;

It has been a practice in manufacturing nails, and especially nails of the smaller sizes for use by artisans in producing fine cabinetwork, coach-work, or the like, to provide means for holding the nails in the work. For this purpose the nails are sometimes coated with cement or other sticky compounds; while in other instances the body of a wire nail is formed with grooves, ridges or serrations. 7

forth in the following specification which deratchet-like teeth along According to the present invention the nails are preferably of the cut type, having the body truncated or wedge-shaped in crosssection with the side faces converging rearwardly from the front face. Along the edge of the front face of the nail adjoining one faces of the nail to provide a spur or tooth for projecting into the fibres ofthe wood or other material into which the nails are driven.

In accordance with the form-of construction of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the nail has an elongated body 11 thatlnay taper gradually downwardly from its head 12. The head 12 ;may be of ordinary construction, and have any desired size and shape.

The nails may be formed by cutting the sheet stock to provide a body 11 having a front face 13, rear-face 1 1, and inclinedside faces' 15 and 16, respectively. The greater portion of the front face is preferably made wider than the rear face. with the side faces 15 and 16 converging rearwardly therefrom to form a body which is truncated or wedgeshaped in cross-section as shown most clearly in the enlarged view, Fig.4.

That portion of the front face 13 contiguous to the side face 16is formed with one or a plurality of barbs 17. Any number of these barbs may be provided on the body of the nail depending upon the purposesfor which it is to be employed. Preferably, the barbs should extend from the entering'end of the nail upwardly towards the head 12, being spaced at suitable intervals to provide a series of the edge-of the tapered portion of the body 11;

' The barbs 17 may be provided by forming notches 18 extending obliquclyto the'front face 13 of the body 11 into the'sideface 16, that is, across one corner of the body. The notches 18 may be triangular in shape, formed deepest. in the front face 13 at a point adjacent the side face 16. The notches are prefrupturing; the fibers.

era-bly so shaped that the bottom face of each i is inclined rearwardly from the plane of the front face 13 of the body 11, to form an abrupt shoulder or step 19 between; adjacent notches.

In forming the notches l8 inthe nail the metal is extruded or forced outwardly from its body 11 to cause the points 20 of the teeth or spurs 17 to projectbeyond the normal plane of the faces 13 and 16. This method of construction constitutes an essential and 1 important feature of the invention as pro viding that when thenail is driven into: the work the barbs or spurs will cut cleanly through the wood or other naterialwithout Consequently, the

' barbs will grip or bite into thewood to tenaciously resist any tendency forthemailito become loosened or pull out. Onthe other 7 hand, the nail will have no tendency tosplit the wood or other material into which it is driven as is the case where the body of'the nail is grooved or serrated across oneor more faces or onall sides as in wire nails.

Figs. 5 and 6,1llustrate a. inodified forin of construction of the invention in wliich the nail 21 is provided with relatively long triangular-shaped barbs 22 pr'ojecting outwardly atone edge of its'body 21. The face of-the barb 22 is inclined outwardly at an angle to j the face of the" nail body'from the entering end toward the head; this constructionbeing the opposite to that shown inlFigs. 1 to 3 in 'modified formshown in Figs. 5 and 6has been found preferable for small-nails, brads or the like. As shown in Fig. 6, the direction 7 i of inclination of the barbs 22 is such that'their tips or points lieoutwardly beyond the normal plane of the faces of thenail body-so as to provide wedge-shaped protuberances for of the invention it is to be understood that other modifications may be made in the structure of the nail without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention.

Therefore, Without limiting myself in this respect, I claim r r 1. A cut nail having-a body formed with flat sides meeting'in relatively sharp longi- I a head andanelongated :body formed with flat sidesmeeting in longitudinaledges, one: side of the body.- beingandented'to fformtri- :angularlv-shaped spursrhaving their points directed downwardly from the :headiof the nail and formed at the top with lateral shoulders extending across the sideofthe body: at substantially righteangles to its edges with the outer edges of "the shoulders inclined at an angle to the normal plane loftthe side and teninin ating in; sliar plapoints which projectbeyondntheaadjacent edge ofthe body.

In testimony whereof Lafiix zmyzsignature.

NHL-LIAM e woonnunr.

which the barbs-are formed by depressions in penetratingthe wood into "which'the nails are driven. lVhen the invention is being applied to nails in the smaller sizes, a 'les's number of barbs is provided as illustrated in Figs.

7 5 and 6 of the drawings, and insome casesa single barb may be used to good effect.

It will be observed from the above that v the invention provides a nail having eflicient means for gripping the-material into which it is driven to resist the tendency forit to become loose or pull out. It has'beendemonstrated that nails ofthe present improved .type have a much stronger: grip on holding power, by actual test showing an increase of forty per cent. or more under normalworking conditions. a p

While I have herein described andillustra-ted two preferred forms of construction 

